Not a Bad Seat in the House

Auburn University Arena and Practice FacilityAuburn, Alabama, USA

“The arena was not only built for the athletes, it was built for the fan. It’s a great setting for a fan to watch the game. … It will provide us with a tremendous home court advantage.”

Nell Fortner
Former Head Women’s Basketball Coach, Auburn University

The design of Auburn University’s arena elevates the profile of the men’s and women’s basketball programs while creating a distinct home court advantage.

With a seating bowl that provides extraordinary proximity to the floor, the arena’s intimate environment makes fans feel like they are part of the action. No seat is more than 43 feet above the court and two-thirds are less than 27 feet above courtside. An open, 360-degree view to the seating bowl and scoreboard enables fans to follow the action from amenity areas along the single concourse.

The arena includes 12 innovative “tailgate suites” that are connected to a courtside club and offer secure patio space adjacent to Auburn’s famed football stadium. The configuration allows premium ticket holders to use the space as a hospitality center for both basketball and football games.

Designed to help Auburn recruit and elevate the performance of top student athletes, the arena provides more than 29,000 square feet of dedicated student-athlete space. This includes a two-court practice gym, men’s and women’s locker rooms with sports medicine space, a strength-and-conditioning center, lounges, meeting rooms and coaches’ offices. Other facilities include the ticket office, 12,000 square feet of banquet and event space, and the 6,500-sq.-ft. Jonathan B. Lovelace Museum & Hall of Honor.

Through the use of simple forms and materials, the arena respects the campus’ traditional architectural context and takes advantage of the rolling topography. An outdoor plaza connecting the arena to new student housing and a dining facility creates a village-like setting.

HOK designed Auburn Arena in association with Davis Architects. The design and construction team used BIM to improve collaboration and to deliver the arena ahead of schedule and under budget.